Lionel Messi casted doubt on whether he would continue playing soccer “for much longer” following the death of his father and agent, Jorge Messi, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 68.
The captain of Argentina and Inter Miami shared a letter on Instagram on Wednesday in which he expressed the deep grief he is feeling over the loss of his father.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you; I don’t know how to go on,” wrote the 39-year-old soccer player. Messi also acknowledged that he now has doubts about his future on the field.
“I just used to play soccer, and now I have serious doubts about whether I’ll continue doing it for much longer,” he revealed.
Jorge Messi died at a clinic in Rosario after battling an illness over the past few months that required treatment. He played a pivotal role in his son’s career, both as his agent and in managing his business interests outside of soccer.
“You were a dad, a friend, and an agent. You were always exactly the person you needed to be at every moment, and you were never wrong about anything—despite some disagreements or arguments, you were always right,” Messi recalled.
The World Cup He Couldn’t Dedicate to Him
In his message, Messi also spoke of the pain he felt at not being able to win the final of the last World Cup to dedicate it to his father.
Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in extra time of the final played on July 19 in New Jersey. Messi explained that during the tournament he tried to overcome the physical difficulties he faced, but was unable to perform at the level he had hoped for.
“We made it to the final, and you couldn’t be there. I wanted to win it to bring it to you and show you a new one. I couldn’t—my legs just wouldn’t hold out. This time I tried to push past my physical limits, but I couldn’t. I never felt right,” he said.
In Argentina’s first World Cup match against Algeria, Messi scored three goals. He was visibly moved while celebrating the first one and later explained that his tears were due to a situation unrelated to the game.
During the tournament, the Messi family had to confirm that Jorge was dealing with a health issue, after a false rumor about his death began circulating.
“You begged me so much to play in the last World Cup, and just days before it started, that’s when your condition got the worst,” Messi said. He also recalled that his mother told him his father would get better and that he might be able to travel to be with him.
In the sixth World Cup of his career, Messi scored eight goals, bringing his total to 21 in the tournament’s history. He is the second-highest all-time scorer, behind Kylian Mbappé, who has 22.
Messi traveled to Rosario on Sunday to say goodbye to his father at a private cemetery and returned to Miami on Tuesday night.
At the end of his letter, the Argentine star assured that Jorge will remain present through the upbringing he provides for his children.
“I’m going to miss you so much, but you’ll always be with us—especially in the upbringing of my children—because I teach and raise them just as you did with me,” he wrote.
“Rest in peace and watch over us from above just as you did here. Thank you for everything. I love you, Dad.”
